Summary -Promises to the Dead by Mary Downing Hahn is an exciting novel set during the early months of the Civil War. As the story begins, Jesse Sherman, a young white southerner goes down to the marsh by his house to attain a turtle for his uncle's soup. While searching for a turtle, a desperate, runaway slave, Lydia, sneaks up behind Jesse and holds him at knifepoint. Lydia needs Jesse’s help because she is pregnant by her newly deceased master, Peregrine Baxter, and has become ill. Lydia is attempting to escape before she is sold South, however; with fear of death, she forces Jesse to promise he will take her son, Perry, to Baltimore where Peregrine's sister, Polly, lives. Lydia believes that with Polly, Perry will be safe from the vicious slave hunter, Colonel Botfield. Unfortunately, Lydia died in the woods while giving childbirth, and Jesse, who is only twelve, is forced to travel to Baltimore, aiding and abetting a runaway save boy. Just as Jesse and Perry reach Baltimore in search of Mrs. Polly’s house, they are found by the Colonel, who plans on getting paid a large amount of money to return Perry to his owner. Due to his cruel nature and his greed for the money, the Colonel knocks Jesse in the head with his gun, and steals Perry. Two weeks later, Jesse awakens in the house of Perry's grandfather, under the care of a house slave, however, Mrs. Polly is not there and Jesse is forced to find Perry and take him down the river on a ferry to the cabin where she is staying. When Jesse finally makes contact with Polly, she refuses to help, afraid of what her father will do. One of Polly’s slaves, Hyacinth, who is Lydia’s sister, helps Perry get to Ohio where he will be free. Jesse returns home to his uncle, and the novel ends with him searching for a turtle in the marsh for his uncle’s soup.
Promises to the Dead
Just as Jesse and Perry reach Baltimore in search of Mrs. Polly’s house, they are found by the Colonel, who plans on getting paid a large amount of money to return Perry to his owner. Due to his cruel nature and his greed for the money, the Colonel knocks Jesse in the head with his gun, and steals Perry. Two weeks later, Jesse awakens in the house of Perry's grandfather, under the care of a house slave, however, Mrs. Polly is not there and Jesse is forced to find Perry and take him down the river on a ferry to the cabin where she is staying. When Jesse finally makes contact with Polly, she refuses to help, afraid of what her father will do. One of Polly’s slaves, Hyacinth, who is Lydia’s sister, helps Perry get to Ohio where he will be free. Jesse returns home to his uncle, and the novel ends with him searching for a turtle in the marsh for his uncle’s soup.